The mayor made the declaration at his residence in Manhattan on Saturday morning.

New York mayor Bill de Blasio has declared 17 March in New York City as “Gerry Adams Day”, to honour a man he believes has “truly left his mark on history”.

Speaking on Saturday morning at the annual St Patrick’s Day breakfast in Gracie Mansion, de Blasio's residence in Manhattan, the mayor said that “history will remember Gerry Adams for being one of the people who did something truly heroic and truly revolutionary. [He] found a path of peace. So many are alive today because of that”.

“He did not accept injustice, and he fought against it,” continued the mayor, who also spoke about his hopes to achieve a united Ireland one day. According to the Irish Times, the mayor was having breakfast with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Adams at the time.

Mr De Blasio went on to present the annual award, a framed copy of The Proclamation, to Gerry Adams, and also praised his ongoing struggle for a united Ireland.

“He understood there was no place in this world for colonialism. Great ideas never die," he said.

"I want to congratulate him for his pursuit of a goal that makes so much sense - a United Ireland.”

https://twitter.com/sinnfeinireland/status/974977733573926912

The former Sinn Féin president thanked the Irish diaspora in New York for their unwavering support, and shared his wish for a United Ireland.

“I look forward to that support continuing in the time ahead as we secure and win a referendum on Irish unity,” Adams said.

DeBlasio was full of praise for the Irish community, congratulating the country's yes vote in the Marriage Equality Referendum back in 2015, highlighting and commending Leo Varadkar's personal journey throughout the campaigning process.

Varadkar spoke about the deep-rooted links between America and Ireland, before marching in the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City along with his partner, Matt.